Paparazzi
by Caskett2000
Summary: One shot. The media finds out about Rick and Kate dating. Please leave a review, just a one shot.


"It is official!" The reporter on the news was saying, "Mystery writer Richard Castle is dating his 'muse' Detective Kate Beckett!" Rick sighed deeply and switched off the TV, he had seen and heard enough. The two of them were sat on the couch thinking what to do, there was paparazzi at the entrance of the building and at the Precinct as well. Their thoughts were interrupted when Kate's phone rang. "Beckett"

"Detective Beckett" Captain Gates said on the other line, "I think it would be necessary if you and Mr. Castle stayed at home for a while until the paparazzi have backed off." She said without trying to be discrete.

"I agree sir" Kate said. "Ok well I'll call you in a few days, goodbye Detective."

Before Kate could say another word the Captain had hung up on her.

"What did Iron Gates say?" Rick says wrapping his arm around Kate's waist. "She doesn't want us in until the paparazzi back off." She sighed deeply, it was a new experience to her. Her face all over the news, camera's everywhere. She didn't understand how Rick could deal with this all the time. "Hey" Rick said interrupting her thoughts, "I know it's tough but they go away after a few days, a week at the most." She nodded and snuggled into his chest. She didn't know why but she felt safe with him. He rubbed her arm trying to soothe her, even though she wasn't saying anything he knew she was anxious and worried. The couple sat there for a while both deep in thought, then Rick's mobile went off. "Castle" he answered into the phone.

"Hey man!" It was Ryan, "Why didn't you tell me and Espo about you and Beckett?!" He asked a small bit annoyed,

"Well it was sorta a trial for a bit and its now official…" He trailed off.

"Yeah, you don't say! What a way to find out that your friend/co-worker is dating your boss by the news." Rick heard Espo agree in the background. "Look guys, can we not do this now," Rick got up and wandered into the kitchen, "This paparazzi stuff is all new to Kate and she's sorta freaking out a bit."

"Paparazzi?" Ryan said, "Yeah their all outside the building and the Precinct."

"Damn, we didn't know they were at your place. We'll come over after work with Jenny and Lanie." Ryan said, "Thanks guys." Rick said, glad to have friends like them. He hung up and went to re-join Kate.

"Hey babe," he said, "The guys are coming over after work with Lanie and Jenny."

"Ok cool," Kate said. She never had so much time on her hands, well best make the most of it she thought. "Ima go paint my nail." She said getting up to retrieve her nail polish from the bedroom. Rick however went into the office and started writing. It was different for him as well, he was used to staying late at the Precinct and getting up early.

After a few hours of pottering around Kate was bored, she painted her nail, baked a pie, tidied the bedroom and the rest of the house and had read a book. There was nothing good on TV and Rick was busy typing away furiously. It was only early afternoon, the gang wouldn't be here for at least 6 hours. She padded over to the office and went behind Rick's chair, she wrapped her arms around his neck and placed her chin on the top of his head. His hair felt silky and soft. "Hey babe," Rick muttered focusing on his writing. "Hi" Kate said dully, when he heard how sad her voice was he immediately saved his work and switched off his apple computer. He removes her arms from his neck and drags her towards him placing her on his lap so he could see her face. "What's wrong?" He said staring deeply into her hazelnut brown eyes. "I'm bored." She said not even trying to be subtle about it, "I've cleaned and baked, painted my nails and read a book. All my paperwork is back at the Precinct and I don't wanna watch TV as I'll see my face all over it with stupid headlines, 'Rick Castle dates his muse' or 'Man of many women Rick Castle dating Co-worker and Nikki Heat inspiration.'" Kate said all this without taking a breath, then without warning she started sobbing into his chest. "Shhhh…. Its ok babe, they'll go away and annoying another celebrity soon" Kate sniffed, "I suppose so." She mumbled into his chest. He kissed the top of her head, "Better?" He asked, "No" Kate replied. "Ok how about you go and get cleaned up and when you're done we'll do something fun, yeah?" Kate nodded and got up heading towards the clean bedroom.

Rick thought what they would do, but he had no clue. Poker or Scrabble, watch a movie. He had no idea, he still hadn't decide when Kate came out of the shower. She was wearing one of his black t-shirts which was huge on her and a pair of loose trousers, her wet hair hung loosely on her shoulders. "Listen Rick sorry about earlier, it's just all too new and too much for me."

Rick smiled, "No need to apologise, I'm gland-" he stopped deciding not to say it. "You're what Rick?" Kate says,

"Nothing" Rick says staring at the wall,

"Rick!" she says,

"Ok ok ok!" He said, "I'm sorta glad, it took you so long to open yourself up and I'm glad you don't bottle up your feelings and that you tell me stuff." He took a breath, "And you do know that if you ever want to come to me with anything, if you killed someone," Kate smiled, "Anything, ok?" Kate nodded and her eyes filled up with tears, "Oh Rick" she says and flings herself into his chest, "I've been a mess lately, the paparazzi, the work, moving in with you, it's all too much the stress is just." Rick rubbed her back and let het her cry without even trying to get her to stop, he thought it was best that she 'cried' it out. "It'll be ok, I promise." Rick murmurs into her hair.

"Rick?" Kate says after she's calmed down, "Mh?" Rick says

"Thanks for everything, and for being there."

Rick looks at her, "Always." He whispered leaning in to kiss her, just after his lips touched hers there was a loud knock at the door. The two of them jumped a mile. "Oh my God!" Kate said jumping off the sofa, "I'm a mess!" She says running into the bedroom for the second time that day. Rick looks down at his shirt, there was a huge wet spot from Kate's tears. "Come on Castle!" He heard Espo shout on the other side of the door. "Coming!" He says running into the bedroom to change his shirt.

Kate was there brushing her hair and putting on make-up and changing into jeans and a top all at the same time. Both of them running around the bedroom getting ready, they both jumped as Espo knocked loudly again, "Beckett! Hurry up, it's freezing out here!" Castle rushes to the door and opens it to great Ryan, Espo, Lanie and Jenny. "About time!" Espo says walking into the loft, Lanie giggles at Rick's expression. He invites them in and pours them all a glass of expensive red wine. "Where's Kate?" Lanie asks as they sit down, "She's um getting ready, she had um a small bit of a breakdown." Rick replies, "I'll go talk to her." Lanie said getting up, Castle shakes his head, "She just needs a bit of time to herself that's all, and it's tough." Castle said. Lanie sits back down staring at the bedroom door in concern. The group made small talk for a bit while Kate was freaking out in the bedroom. She sat on the bed sobbing quietly, the stress was getting to her, the stress of the paparazzi, work, moving in with Rick, and living in luxury. It was all piling up on her shoulders and she just cracked. She really didn't feel like facing Lanie and the others tonight. She just wanted to sit there and cry and eat ice-cream. She checked the clock, she had been there for over 20 minutes, and soon Rick would be coming to check on her. Kate was right, a few minutes later there was a quiet knock at the door, "Kate honey are you ok?" Rick asks softly his voice full of concern, Kate didn't answer, she just laid there curled up in a little ball sobbing into a scrunched up shirt. Rick knocks again, "Kate can I come in?" Kate muffled a yes. She heard the door open and close quietly and Rick sitting on the bed beside her. "Kate honey what's wrong?" He asks rubbing her shoulder, "Everything" Kate says sitting up looking at Rick, her hair was a mess and her eyes all puffy and red. "Come on Kate love, talk to me" Rick says, he hated seeing her upset. "It's just the paparazzi, my face all over the news, work is just being a bitch and it's all so new to me, living in luxury and its just-" Kate starts sobbing again, "Hey come on Kate, its ok" Rick says, Kate looks down at the bed and starts messing with the shirt she was holding, Rick puts his thumb on the bottom of her chin and pushes her head up, "I promise it will be ok and if it's not I'll make it ok." He says staring into her eyes wiping her tears away with his finger. "I promise." He places a light kiss on her lips, "Now we have guests to entertain" He said getting up of the bed smiling at her leaving the room. Kate showers for the second time that day, re-applies her make-up and gets changed again. She takes a deep breath and opens the bedroom door to greet her guests

"Hey guys." She says shyly approaching her friends, "Yo Beckett!" Espo says looking at her. "How are you girl?" Lanie says getting up to hug her, Kate smiles weakly and hugs her back, "I'm ok." She sits on the sofa with everyone apart from Rick staring at her, "Well then who wants to play Guitar Hero?" Rick says breaking the awkward silence. "Yeah sure bro!" Espo says, Ryan agrees as well. Kate sits in silence and stares at the floor absorbed in her thoughts. The boys were having good fun messing around and drinking beer, their wine glasses sat forgotten on the coffee table. Lanie and Jenny were talking about clothes. "Kate?" Lanie asked, Kate snapped out of her deep thoughts, "Come on girl you need something to drink." Lanie pours her a large glass of wine and hands it to her, Kate muttered a thanks she sipped the wine slowly listening to the other girls talk.

"Anyway enough about us how are you Kate?" Jenny asked, "Oh, um, I'm doing ok I think." Kate said swallowing a mouthful of wine. "You think?" Lanie questioned, "eh…. I… I….." Kate said feeling embarrassed, "its ok girl you don't have to talk if you don't want to." Lanie said concern to her best friend, Jenny nodded. "Thanks guys" Kate said trying to forget her feelings and enjoy the night.

Over all the night turned out well Kate thought, they all watched a movie and got a takeaway. Gates had given them the day off so they all stayed over.

Rick woke the next morning in an empty bed. He stretched and his leg went into Kate's side, it was completely cold so he knew she was awake a long time ago. He got up and padded into the living room. Kate was sat with his laptop sitting on her lap. Her hair was in a loose bun and she was wearing a pair of his boxers and his t-shirt. She wasn't wearing any make-up so her face was pale with a few freckles on her cheek bone. "Hey babe" Rick said, Kate jumped and slammed the lid of the laptop down. "Hi!" She said, her cheeks growing red. "Kate are you ok?" Rick asked sitting beside her. "Uh yeah I was just uh, I was….." She was beginning to panic, "Kate if you don't want me to know what you were doing I understand, and I do not mind if you want to keep some things personal. I'm not annoyed, but if I find out your dating someone else online I will be mad." Kate laughed, "I think we could be safe!" Rick smiled, it was the first time he heard her laugh in a few days. "Well I'm going to get some Aspirin as my head is pounding and then I'll make breakfast. You can go and do whatever you were doing in the office. No one will disturb you." Rick wandered off to the bathroom. Kate was glad that he didn't ask questions, she was dreading what would happen if he found out, which he will. In a few days.

"Breakfast Kate!" Rick shouted, Kate logged out of her emails and went to join Rick in the kitchen, just as she walked in Espo, Lanie, Jenny and Ryan all walked down the stairs. "Coffee" Espo said yawning rubbing his head. He poured them all a cup. "Yo Castle you got Aspirin?" He muttered suffering from the previous night, "Right here!" Rick said producing the tablets. They all took one excluding Kate who only drunk 2 glasses of wine. Rick served pancakes and they chatted while sipping their coffee and eating the warm homemade pancakes. When they were done Kate collected their plates and loaded them into the dishwasher, "Yo Beckett why don't you dress like that at 12th?" Espo asked teasing her, Kate was so busy on the laptop she forgot to get changed, she just stuck her tongue out, "But come on guys, am I not right? Castle's boxers and t-shirt really suit you?" The table all agreed laughing. "Espo you better be careful, I'm good friends with this medical examiner and she can give me ways to kill you with undetectable poison." Espo laughed. "My hand might accidently spill it into your coffee, what a shame that would be." Kate said laughing. "Mh what a shame that would be." Lanie said agreeing with Kate.

The group left later that day, all of them had a wonderful time. After that it was just Kate and Rick in the apartment, Alexis was at college and Martha was away with a close friends.

The next few days went uneventful, no visitors, the paparazzi still swarming outside the building wanting to talk to Kate and Rick, it was only a matter of time before one of them left.

Kate was the first one to face the paparazzi, Rick was in the shower. Now was her chance she thought. She quickly scribbled a note telling him where she had gone, she grabbed sunglasses and her bag.

A few minutes later Rick came out of the bedroom wearing casual clothes, "Kate?" He asks, there was no reply. Rick walked into the kitchen listening for any noise telling him where Kate was. Then he noticed the piece of white paper on the island. "Rick," It read, "I can't stand being stuck inside, it's been 5 days. I've just gone out for a bit, no need to panic I'm fine. I love you." Rick sighed. She was long gone, probably deep in the city by now, the paparazzi following her everywhere. All he could do was wait for her to return.

Rick was growing more anxious, Kate was gone for over 2 hours. He thought of calling her to see if she was ok but there was no need to. He heard the key turn in the door. "Rick?" Kate says closing the door quietly. "Rick?" She asks again wandering into the sitting room. "Kate! Where were you?" Rick asks coming out from the office, "I was just wandering around the city." Kate said, Rick wasn't convinced. "Just wandering around for 2 hours?" He said taking a seat beside her on the couch, "Yeah, just walking." She says looking away to avoid his eyes. Rick sighed deeply, "Ok well then don't tell me, doesn't matter." Kate turns to look at him, "Look this is still new to me, I'm not used to being stuck inside for days, cameras everywhere." She seemed a bit annoyed. "Ok sorry, ii know it's hard, usually I just face em but its different cause you're here and they'll follow you around with work. I'm sorry." Kate curls up into his side, she hated keeping stuff from him. But he would find out soon enough. Tomorrow to be precise.

Kate woke early the next morning, she couldn't sleep with the anxiety of how Rick would react. She just laid there, watching Rick breathing in and out deeply. He stayed the same for a few minutes and then his breathing became faster, his eyelids fluttered open. "It's rude to stare Beckett." He grumbled, "I wasn't staring I was admiring."  
"Admiring what?"  
"You. The way you look so peaceful when you sleep. Its quiet cute."  
"Cute?" Rick asks laughing,  
"Yeah. You look like a little baby sleeping. So peaceful and quiet. Not like a 9 year old on a sugar rush. "Creepy." Rick said removing the sheets from himself reaviling a top-less Rick in boxers. He shivered, "Cold?" Kate asks giggling. Rick just stuck his tongue out. He pads of toward the kitchen to get coffee and the newspaper which gets delivered each morning. Kate was a little scared to see his reaction to what she had done. Would he be mad? Or would he just say its ok? Would he break up with her?  
"Kate?" Rick calls from the kitchen, "Mh?" She replies.  
Rick comes back into the bedroom holding the paper. "Exclusive interview with Rick Castle's Muse/Girlfriend, Kate Beckett. Kate what did you do?" Rick says looking a bit upset.  
"Nothing, I just told them about us and could they respect our privacy a bit and all that crap." Kate says propping her pillow up sitting up as well. Rick sighs and sits on the bed to read the article.

There was silence for a few seconds, "We kept it quiet as collueges in the Precinct aren't ment to date?" He asks, "Do you know what this is going to do. Some people are quiet clueless of the Precinct's rules, now they all know that we both are breaking the rule." Rick says sounding more upset. Kate says nothing, once again he sighs and continues reading.  
There are a few more seconds of silence, "Rick and I have been partners for over 4 years and wanted to take it further as we both have feeling's for each other." Rick says reading out loud. Once again Kate says nothing. Rick turns the page to find a photo of both of them chasing a suspect. "Where did they get this?" Rick demands, kate shrugs. Rick had a nasty cut from the suspect wacking him in the head. She had to admit it wasn't one of the best photos of him. He finishes the articles and folds the paper over and looks at her.

"Kate honey why didn't you come to me with this?" Rick asks,  
Kate turns away to avoid his gaze, "Are you mad?" She asks quietly.  
"Im a small bit mad but im more upset." Rick says softly. Kate felt as guilty as hell, she had to do something to get the paparazzi away, she wanted to work again, she wanted her face off the news, she wanted no camera's what-so-ever.  
"I'm sorry Rick I just wanted to get away from it all." Kate says, her eyes filling up with tears, she hadn't expected him to be upset.  
"Kate I could have gone with you or get my secetary to talk with them. Why didn't you come to me?" He says, "Because I thought you would say no or not allow me to go." Kate says, the tears starting to fall. Rick felt more upset, she didn't think she could talk with him. "Kate honey, you can come to me with anything, I already told you. Please don't feel you have to do stuff behind my back, I will support you no matter what decision you make." Kate sniffed, "So your not breaking up with me?" She says looking at him. Rick laughed, "You not getting away from me that easly!" Kate smiled. Rick wipes her tears away with his pinky finger and gives her one of his bear hugs. "I love you Kate Beckett." He murmurs into her hair, "I love you too Richard Castle." She says back.

The paparazzi left them alone after the article was realised and they both went back to work. All was good for a change.

Just a one shot. Please leave a review and if there are any requests for anything I'll give it a go.

THANKS!


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